Reentry resources in Texas - what you need to do and where to go after prison

QUICK FACTS BAR

State DOC: Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ)

Parole Board: Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles

Medicaid expansion: NO

Voting rights: After FULL completion of sentence including parole and probation

SNAP drug felony ban: Modified - eligible after completing sentence (parole/supervision violations suspend for 2 years; new felony reinstate lifetime ban)

Expungement: Limited - non-convictions only for most; Order of Nondisclosure available for some

Ban the box: Public employers only (state agencies)

INTRO

Texas has one of the most restrictive voting rights restoration policies in the country - over 479,000 Texans cannot vote because they are on felony probation or parole, even after serving their prison time. Texas has not expanded Medicaid under the ACA, meaning many returning citizens do not have access to government-funded healthcare unless they are pregnant, have dependent children, or are disabled. On the employment side, Texas ban-the-box applies only to state agencies - private employers can ask about criminal history from the first moment of the application. Knowing what Texas actually provides - and what it doesn't - is the foundation of realistic reentry planning here.

FIRST 30 DAYS CHECKLIST

Day 1-3:

Report to your TDCJ parole officer or community supervision officer as directed. Failure to report is the fastest path back inside.

Day 1-7:

Obtain your state ID or driver's license. Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues state ID. TDCJ provides a Certificate of Identity (COI) at release - this can be used with DPS to obtain a state ID. Bring: COI or birth certificate, Social Security card, proof of Texas residency. Cost: $16 for state ID.

Day 1-30:

Apply for SNAP benefits if eligible. Texas Health and Human Services: yourtexasbenefits.com. People with drug felony convictions who have completed their sentence are eligible in Texas (with conditions - see benefits section below).

Day 1-30:

Enroll in healthcare. Texas has not expanded Medicaid. Options: marketplace plans through healthcare.gov (special enrollment triggered by release), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) which serve on a sliding-scale basis regardless of insurance - findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov - or county indigent health programs.

Day 30+:

Register to vote ONLY after completing ALL supervision - parole, probation, and any other community supervision. Registering to vote while on supervision is a criminal offense in Texas. Do not register until fully discharged. Register at votetexas.gov.

ID RESTORATION

Birth certificate:

Texas Vital Statistics Unit - dshs.texas.gov/vital-statistics. Cost: $22. For people born out of state, contact that state's vital records office. TDCJ provides pre-release assistance with obtaining birth certificates - ask your case manager before release.

Social Security card:

SSA.gov/ssnumber. Free. Requires proof of identity and citizenship or immigration status. Locate your nearest Social Security office at ssa.gov/locator.

State ID / Driver's License:

Texas DPS - dps.texas.gov. Bring birth certificate or TDCJ Certificate of Identity (COI), Social Security card, and proof of Texas residency. A letter from a shelter, parole officer, or employer serves as proof of residency. Cost: $16 for ID card. People 70 and older receive a free state ID.

ID Assistance Programs:

Unlocking Doors of Texas (unlockingdoorsoftexas.org / 512-651-3558) and the Reentry Council of the Capital Area in Austin provide ID document acquisition assistance. The Texas Offender Reentry Initiative (ORI) connects people with ID assistance in some counties statewide.

VOTING RIGHTS

Texas restores voting rights ONLY after completing the full sentence including any parole, probation, or community supervision. Release from prison alone does not restore voting rights in Texas.

Over 479,000 Texans cannot vote because they are on parole or probation - the second-largest disenfranchised population in the country behind Florida.

Once fully discharged from all supervision: rights restore automatically. No application required. Register at votetexas.gov.

Critical warning: Registering to vote while still on parole or probation is a criminal offense under Texas law. Do not register until you have received written confirmation of full discharge from all supervision.

Recent legislative activity: Bills to restore voting rights to people on parole and probation (SB 631/HB 4594) were introduced in the 2025 Texas legislative session but did not pass. As of 2026, the law is unchanged.

BENEFITS ACCESS

MEDICAID:

Texas has NOT expanded Medicaid under the ACA. This is a critical gap for most returning citizens. Medicaid in Texas is available only to: pregnant women, children and families with dependent children meeting income thresholds, disabled individuals receiving SSI, and elderly individuals. Most single adults returning from prison do not qualify regardless of income.

Alternatives to Medicaid in Texas:

- Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs): sliding-scale primary care with no insurance required - findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov

- County Indigent Health Programs: most large Texas counties operate indigent health programs for uninsured residents - contact your county health department

- Community health clinics and charity care programs operated by hospital systems

SNAP:

Texas has modified the federal drug felony ban. People with felony drug convictions who have COMPLETED their sentence including parole and probation are eligible for SNAP in Texas. Conditions: if supervision conditions are violated, SNAP eligibility is suspended for two years. If a new felony conviction results, the lifetime ban is reinstated. Apply at yourtexasbenefits.com.

TANF:

Texas maintains the complete federal ban on TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) for people with felony drug convictions. No modification.

EXPUNGEMENT AND RECORD RELIEF

Texas expungement (called expunction) is more limited than most states.

What CAN be expunged (expunged):

Arrests that did not result in conviction: charges dismissed, acquitted at trial, no-billed by grand jury. Certain deferred adjudication completions for Class C misdemeanors. Pardoned convictions. HB 4504 (effective January 1, 2025) restructured eligibility for non-conviction records - certain dispositions are now subject to mandatory expunction; others discretionary.

What CANNOT be expunged:

Most adult felony convictions, even after completing the sentence. Unlike many states, Texas does not provide a mechanism to expunge or seal most adult felony conviction records.

Order of Nondisclosure (limited sealing):

Texas has a sealing mechanism called an Order of Nondisclosure. It does not erase the record but prevents most public access to it. Available for: certain misdemeanors after deferred adjudication completion, and for some non-violent felonies after deferred adjudication completion with a 5-year waiting period and no new offenses. NOT available for: sex offenses, family violence offenses, murder, human trafficking, and certain other serious offenses.

Cost and process: Expunction and nondisclosure require filing a petition with the district court. Attorney fees and filing costs vary. Legal aid organizations provide some assistance for qualifying individuals.

Legal resources:

- Texas Law Help: texaslawhelp.org

- Lone Star Legal Aid: lonestarlegal.org

- Texas Appleseed: texasappleseed.org

EMPLOYMENT AND LICENSING

Ban the box:

Texas has a ban-the-box law for STATE AGENCIES only - state government employers. Private employers in Texas have no restriction on asking about criminal history at any point in the hiring process.

Local ordinances that go further:

- Austin: ban-the-box for private employers with 15 or more employees

- Dallas: ban-the-box ordinance

- San Antonio: fair chance hiring ordinance

- Houston: no local ordinance beyond state law

Occupational licensing:

Texas Government Code Chapter 53 requires licensing boards to consider the relationship between the conviction and the license being sought, and the time elapsed since the conviction. Boards cannot deny a license solely because of a criminal record without this individualized assessment. Pre-application option: request a Criminal History Evaluation Letter from any licensing authority before applying - this is a binding advance determination of whether the conviction would disqualify you.

Licenses with additional restrictions: peace officer certification, most direct patient care healthcare licenses, teaching certificates, and certain childcare licenses have statutory restrictions beyond the general Chapter 53 framework.

Employment assistance:

- Texas Workforce Commission: twc.texas.gov - Workforce Solutions offices statewide provide reentry employment services

- Project RIO (Reintegration of Offenders): joint TDCJ/TWC program connecting returning citizens with employers; operates inside prison units and follows people into community supervision

KEY TEXAS REENTRY ORGANIZATIONS

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Reentry and Integration Division

tdcj.texas.gov/divisions/ri/

Official TDCJ reentry arm. Coordinates pre-release planning, connects with community resources, operates Project RIO with Texas Workforce Commission.

Unlocking Doors of Texas

unlockingdoorsoftexas.org / (512) 651-3558 / Austin

Reentry case management, ID document assistance, housing navigation, employment support. Serves Travis County area.

Reentry Council of the Capital Area (RECA)

recatexas.org / Austin

Coordination organization connecting returning citizens with services across multiple providers in the Austin metro.

Texas Second Chance Alliance

texassecondchance.org

Statewide network of reentry providers. Good starting point for finding local services by city.

Cenikor Foundation

cenikor.org / Multiple Texas locations (Houston, Dallas, Beaumont, Waco, and others)

Substance abuse treatment integrated with employment, housing, and reentry services.

Texas Fair Defense Project

texasfairdefense.org / Austin

Legal advocacy for systemic reforms. Does not provide direct reentry case management.

Texas Workforce Commission / Workforce Solutions

twc.texas.gov / offices statewide

Employment services, job training, reentry-specific programs through local Workforce Solutions offices.

STATE DOC REENTRY PROGRAMS

Project RIO (Reintegration of Offenders):

Joint TDCJ/Texas Workforce Commission program. Provides employment assistance, job training referrals, and connections to TWC Workforce Solutions offices statewide. Operates inside TDCJ prison units and follows individuals into community supervision. Largest state-funded reentry employment program in Texas.

TDCJ Reentry and Integration Division:

Operates Reentry Centers at select prison units. Pre-release programming includes employment readiness, ID document assistance, and community resource connections.

Continuity of Care:

TDCJ provides healthcare continuity support for people with serious mental health conditions - connection to community mental health centers is initiated before release for qualifying individuals.

HALFWAY HOUSES LINK BLOCK

Find halfway houses and reentry housing in Texas ->

inmateaid.com/halfway-houses/texas/

Texas has federal Residential Reentry Centers under two BOP Residential Reentry Management offices:

- RRM Dallas: covers northern Texas

- RRM San Antonio: covers eastern, western, and southern Texas

State-contracted halfway house placements are made through TDCJ community supervision division. GEO Group, CoreCivic, VOA Texas, and Dismas Charities operate federal RRCs across the state.